Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Kalua’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Esm Kalua’, characterized by its upright, symmetrical and long flowering stems; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density of fruits; and large spherical greenish white-colored fruits.

Botanical designation: Hypericum androsaemum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Kalua’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum, botanically known as Hypericum androsaemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Esm Kalua’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Hypericum cultivars with numerous attractive fruits.

The new Hypericum originated from a cross-pollination in February, 2003 in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador of a proprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemum identified as code designation Line 114, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemum identified as code designation Line 56, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hypericum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, since August, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Esm Kalua have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Kalua’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Esm Kalua’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum:

-   -   1. Upright, symmetrical and long flowering stems.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density         of fruits.     -   5. Large spherical greenish white-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum and the female parent selection         differ in fruit color as plants of the female parent selection         have green-colored fruits.     -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum are not as resistant to Puccinia         rust as plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum are not as vigorous as plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum are more freely flowering than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum have spherical-shaped fruits         whereas plants of the male parent selection have         elliptical-shaped fruits.     -   4. Plants of the new Hypericum and the male parent selection         differ in fruit color as plants of the male parent selection         have orange-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Esm Bonaire, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Hypericum differed from plants of the cultivar Esm Bonaire in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum were broader and had shorter         internodes than plants of the cultivar Esm Bonaire.     -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum had larger inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Esm Bonaire.     -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum flowered later than plants of the         cultivar Esm Bonaire.     -   4. Plants of the new Hypericum were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Esm Bonaire.     -   5. Plants of the new Hypericum had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Esm Bonaire.     -   6. Plants of the new Hypericum had larger fruits than plants of         the cultivar Esm Bonaire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Esm Kalua’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical stem of ‘Esm Kalua’ with mature fruits.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical fruit of ‘Esm Kalua’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions in an outdoor nursery in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador for about one year. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to averaged 12° C. and light levels ranged from 1,000 to 1,150 foot-candles.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum androsaemum cultivar Esm Kalua. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum             androsaemum identified as code designation Line 114, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum             androsaemum identified as code designation Line 56, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 22° C. to             30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four to five             weeks at 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; between 165B and 200C in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Typically grown as a cut flower-type Hypericum.             Upright, symmetrical and long flowering stems; moderately             vigorous growth habit; basally branching habit with about             four to five flowering stems developing per plant per year.         -   Plant height.—About 100 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 42 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 96 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Internode length: About 4.7 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145C overlain with             174B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 7 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to retuse.         -   Base.—Truncate to slightly cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; papery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 144C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 138A; venation, 148C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Bright yellow-colored single             flowers arranged in terminal compound umbels; freely             flowering habit with about twelve flowers per umbel. Flowers             not persistent. Flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round in Ecuador.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two to four days on the             plant. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Globose. Color: 15A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 17             cm.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Depth (height): About 1.3             cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Oval. Apex:             Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; papery. Aspect: Incurved;             concave. Color: When opening, upper surface: 14B. When             opening, lower surface: 13B. Fully opened, upper surface:             14A; color becoming lighter than 14A with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: 14B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; three             larger than the other two. Length: About 9 mm to 12 mm.             Width: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Shape: Ovate to round. Apex:             Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 143B. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 139C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 143B. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 145B.         -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 174B overlain             with 145C.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Aspect: About 40° from the stem axis. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:             About 100. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A. Pollen amount: Abundant.             Pollen color: Close to 13A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             Single pistil with three stigmas. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Circular. Stigma color: Close to 181C.             Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 1B. Ovary             color: Close to 154B.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape:             Roughly spherical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between             10C and 150D; towards the base, close to 155D.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.03 mm. Color:             Close to 200C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hypericum. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been     observed to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about     0° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Kalua’ as illustrated and described. 